BT EXCLUSIVE | India not unique in satellite licensing process; compliance rules apply globally, says Eutelsat OneWeb's Neha Idnani 

Eutelsat OneWeb has defended India's satellite communications licensing process amid an ongoing debate over regulatory approvals for satellite broadband operators, saying compliance and licensing requirements faced by low-Earth-orbit satellite players are not unique to India.

In an interview with Business Today on the sidelines of the India Mobile Congress in New Delhi, Neha Idnani, Asia-Pacific head at Eutelsat OneWeb, said governments across the world have been developing regulatory frameworks for a technology that remains relatively new.

"When we started, you may call it low Earth orbit or NGSO, non-geostationary, this is something very new for almost every country we got into," Idnani said. "Not just India. We've had to do the same thing in Thailand, in Malaysia, in Korea, in Taiwan."

Her comments come amid heightened scrutiny of India's satellite communications framework following allegations by SpaceX founder Elon Musk that regulatory processes disadvantage certain players seeking entry into the market.

Idnani, however, said telecommunications infrastructure is critical national infrastructure and governments globally have imposed compliance requirements on satellite operators. "Compliance to the laws of the land are very critical."

"Licensing is something which has taken time, but it has taken time across the board in a lot of countries," she said.

According to Idnani, Eutelsat OneWeb has worked closely with Indian authorities to address regulatory and security requirements needed to operate satellite services in the country.

"There were compliance requirements that we have demonstrated and that we continue to demonstrate and are working with the government agencies proactively to address each of these requirements, which in our opinion are necessary in an infrastructure like this."

The executive also reiterated that satellite communications should complement existing terrestrial networks rather than replace them. "We believe satellite should be an extension to terrestrial networks and not a replacement of terrestrial networks."

She said satellite technology can help extend connectivity to remote locations, support enterprise and government requirements, and provide critical communications support during disasters and emergencies when traditional infrastructure is disrupted.

Idnani added that Eutelsat OneWeb's India strategy remains focused on business-to-business partnerships, with telecom operators expected to play an important role in delivering services to end users.

"Our model of operating is B2B, but the beneficiaries will be consumers as well."

Asked whether the industry should be concerned about the scale of Starlink's satellite ambitions, Idnani dismissed suggestions that a single operator could dominate the market.

"India and Asia, first of all, should not be worried at all. We represent over 50% of the global population. We are frontrunners now in innovation and technology."

Drawing a comparison with the telecom sector, she argued that multiple operators with different business models and customer segments would continue to coexist.

"Look at any country. There are at least three to four operators that coexist very well. There are niches everyone plays in. So no, absolutely not. We have never been scared. We should never be scared."

The remarks come as India's satellite communications sector moves closer to commercial rollout, with operators awaiting final clarity on spectrum pricing and assignment before services are launched at scale.